tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21786193009142594202017-09-08T16:47:49.726-07:00Crispy TaterLet's find you something good to watch.Henry Malonhttps://plus.google.com/110414717319365603799noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2178619300914259420.post-83414737604255329152012-02-29T12:59:00.002-08:002012-02-29T13:09:08.143-08:00Jean Dujardin and the OSS 117 Revival<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"><b>Jean Dujardin and the OSS 117 Revival</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i8U_nCvHGa4/T06Sr2KBdhI/AAAAAAAAAGc/AqCbmhykYs0/s1600/OSS+117,+Le+Caire+nid+d'espions+(2006).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i8U_nCvHGa4/T06Sr2KBdhI/AAAAAAAAAGc/AqCbmhykYs0/s320/OSS+117,+Le+Caire+nid+d'espions+(2006).jpg" width="216" /></a></div><span lang="EN-CA">They’ve been making OSS 117 movies in France for a long time.&nbsp; The first was a full six years before <i>Dr. No</i> started the James Bond franchise.&nbsp; Over the years the series evolved into not much more than a generic euro-copy of the 007 series, before it ended in the early seventies.&nbsp; American B-list stars like Kerwin Mathews and John Gavin were some of the leads in the series.&nbsp; The actor most associated with the role though was French actor Frederick Stafford.&nbsp; Stafford bore a close resemblance to Sean Connery, and I’m sure that helped a lot. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">In 2006, the series was rebooted as a 1950’s spy spoof with Oscar winner Jean Dujardin in the lead role.&nbsp; <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0464913/">OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies</a></i> has an awful lot of good things going for it.&nbsp; It works well as a broad satire on western ethnocentrism, it’s a great parody of the 1960’s spy genre and it’s a terrific as a broad appealing PG comedy. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">But the best part of the film is Dujardin himself.&nbsp; He was born to be a clown.&nbsp; He plays the 1960’s leading man/Arrow shirt model role perfectly.&nbsp; He is a great physical comedian so the fight scenes and chase scenes come off marvellously.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mAcIwQpINSw/T06P29AXDqI/AAAAAAAAAF0/_wkpV9YEKXM/s1600/images+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mAcIwQpINSw/T06P29AXDqI/AAAAAAAAAF0/_wkpV9YEKXM/s1600/images+%25282%2529.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">There was a sequel a couple of years later, that’s not quite as good, but still definitely worth a look.&nbsp; So, if you want to see a great, smart and fun comedy, there’s few choices better than <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0464913/">OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies</a>.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>Henry Malonhttps://plus.google.com/110414717319365603799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2178619300914259420.post-14786325711424632822012-02-28T00:22:00.001-08:002012-02-28T00:24:36.830-08:00Roddy McDowall: 20th Century Horror God!<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-97Vl48w7bVU/T0yNxLW7PwI/AAAAAAAAAE8/Wl6r0uB9psQ/s1600/Roddy-McDowall-224x315-22kb-media-8319-media-130876-1201224767.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-97Vl48w7bVU/T0yNxLW7PwI/AAAAAAAAAE8/Wl6r0uB9psQ/s200/Roddy-McDowall-224x315-22kb-media-8319-media-130876-1201224767.jpg" width="142" /></a><span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Roddy McDowall:&nbsp; 20<sup>th</sup> Century Horror God!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Betcha didn’t see that title coming,&nbsp; But Roddy happened to star in a couple of the very best horror films ever made.&nbsp; In addition to having a very long career that started as a child star, he starred in the greatest haunted house movie ever made.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zKrEm3VEgrI/T0yODNHgdgI/AAAAAAAAAFE/Tp-qJ0ScGcQ/s1600/images+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zKrEm3VEgrI/T0yODNHgdgI/AAAAAAAAAFE/Tp-qJ0ScGcQ/s1600/images+(1).jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span lang="EN-CA"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070294/">The Legend of Hell House</a></span></i><span lang="EN-CA"> was scripted by the great Richard Matheson from his own novel.&nbsp;&nbsp; Fans of all of those ghosthunting shows will find the terminology and paranormal science that’s thrown around in the film quite familiar.&nbsp;&nbsp; In the movie, a team of paranormal researchers are hired to spend some time in “The Mount Everest of Haunted Houses.”&nbsp; There are very thinly veiled hints that they are staying in the late </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;">Aleister Crowley</span><span lang="EN-CA">’s house.&nbsp; What follows is a wonderful ride of atmospheric suspense.&nbsp; There’s not a lot of blood or violence – just a lovely, old fashioned scare at the movies.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e5TBK098HaI/T0yOPTjairI/AAAAAAAAAFM/UiasPN9rZhI/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e5TBK098HaI/T0yOPTjairI/AAAAAAAAAFM/UiasPN9rZhI/s1600/images.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And you can say the same thing about the original <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089175/">Fright Night</a></i>.&nbsp; It’s a Disney sort of vampire film about a teenaged William Ragsdale, who believes, quite correctly, that a vampire has moved in next door.&nbsp; He quickly enlists the aid of late-night TV horror host Roddy McDowall to help protect his family.&nbsp; In addition to a fine performance by McDowall, the film has Chris Sarandon, ably playing the vampiric neighbor.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Both films are pretty much PG rated and are a perfect antidote to the mean-spirited torture-based horror that we see so much of today in movies. &nbsp;</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>Henry Malonhttps://plus.google.com/110414717319365603799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2178619300914259420.post-58334324026862827182012-02-27T21:55:00.005-08:002012-02-27T21:55:55.579-08:00A Dutch Treat: Black BookA Dutch Treat: &nbsp;Black Book<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qzq4MstOYv0/T0xsDRiEYgI/AAAAAAAAAEs/_4sLsK9EiKQ/s1600/51V8i-UIEtL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qzq4MstOYv0/T0xsDRiEYgI/AAAAAAAAAEs/_4sLsK9EiKQ/s320/51V8i-UIEtL.jpg" width="223" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>In the late 70's and early 80's the cinematic world was all abuzz about Dutch films. &nbsp;Then the biggest Dutch director (Paul Verhoeven) &nbsp;left Holland behind for Hollywood, and everyone stopped talking about Dutch films.</div><div><br /></div><div>That is, until Verhoeven returned to make <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0389557/">Black Book</a>. &nbsp;It's a great Dutch language movie, but you should know what you're getting yourself into. &nbsp;Imagine a terrific Ken Follett style WWII thriller about the Dutch resistance movement. &nbsp;Now imagine that thriller sexed right up by the man who directed <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114436/">Showgirls</a> and<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103772/"> Basic Instinct</a>. And that's what Black Book is, a marvelous suspense thriller in the tradition of <i>The Eye of the Needle </i>and the<i> Key to Rebecca</i> - with a whole lot of <i>Ilsa She Wolf of the SS</i> thrown in for good measure.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H0hOzM0KG1A/T0xsOard43I/AAAAAAAAAE0/fNxrGElTamQ/s1600/Celebrity-Image-Carice-van-Houten-243976.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H0hOzM0KG1A/T0xsOard43I/AAAAAAAAAE0/fNxrGElTamQ/s320/Celebrity-Image-Carice-van-Houten-243976.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div>It stars Carice van Houten, and she looks good, really good -&nbsp;pneumatically good. &nbsp;And probably without her, it wouldn't be nearly as much fun to watch. &nbsp;The production values are excellent. &nbsp;So, if you're looking for an adventurous evening's entertainment, put the kids to bed and snuggle up with your sweetie for&nbsp;&nbsp;a terrific mix of action, suspense and sex.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Henry Malonhttps://plus.google.com/110414717319365603799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2178619300914259420.post-57311717278120381182012-02-27T18:23:00.000-08:002012-03-02T12:51:26.641-08:00IRIS - The Korean 24<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>IRIS - The Korean <i>24</i></b></span><br /><div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tUCZdxfo8FY/T0w6O5-VsaI/AAAAAAAAAEU/W9GF_i5K5bI/s1600/iris2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tUCZdxfo8FY/T0w6O5-VsaI/AAAAAAAAAEU/W9GF_i5K5bI/s400/iris2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some of us miss the cold war and all of those terrific spy thrillers from LeCarre , Deighton, Adam Hall and Brian Freemantle.&nbsp; Of course in Korea, the cold war never ended, so if you’re missing your spy vs. spy fix, it’s a great culture to dig into.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA">A number of years ago Roger Ebert was plugging a great Korean technothriller&nbsp;called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shiri-Suk-kyu-Han/dp/B0000633R6/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1330394668&amp;sr=1-1"><i>Shir</i>i</a> or <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shiri-Suk-kyu-Han/dp/B0000633R6/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1330394668&amp;sr=1-1">Swiri</a>,</i>that had as one of its stars </span><span style="color: #333333;">Yunjin Kim, who later went on to star as Sun in TV’s<i> Lost</i>.&nbsp; The Korean TY drama <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Korean-English-Subtitle-Complete-Episodes/dp/B004XXVLXU/ref=sr_1_2?s=movies-tv&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1330394585&amp;sr=1-2">Iris</a></i>is very like that movie, but it bears the most resemblance to the American series 24.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hBakG7yoTp8/T0w7yWk986I/AAAAAAAAAEk/IbKoFIPYtFA/s1600/55275148-1263628029-Lee-Byung-hun-41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="309" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hBakG7yoTp8/T0w7yWk986I/AAAAAAAAAEk/IbKoFIPYtFA/s320/55275148-1263628029-Lee-Byung-hun-41.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #333333;">Iris</span></i><span style="color: #333333;"> follows the typical Asian drama formula, so if you’re not familiar with it, be warned, it can get kinda soapy.&nbsp; There are lots of dreamy montages set to Korean pop music and long meaningful glances.&nbsp; Even so, there’s no stopping the action or the plot twists.&nbsp; The producers spent an unusually large sum of money for this 20 hour show, so the production values are first rate.&nbsp; There’s great chemistry between the stars and the male lead is Lee Byugn Hun, one of Koreas biggest stars.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I f you’d like to take a peak, you can watch a licensed , subtitled stream of the whole series over at &nbsp;<a href="http://www.dramafever.com/drama/124/1/Iris/">Drama Fever</a>.&nbsp; Amazon has region-free DVDs as well.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div></div>Henry Malonhttps://plus.google.com/110414717319365603799noreply@blogger.com0